Pharmacology for the EMS Provider

The Fourth Edition of PHARMACOLOGY FOR THE EMS PROVIDER is a clear and thorough text ideal for both Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) and Paramedic levels. This book is based on the pharmacology section of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations National EMS Education Standards and reflects current Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) curricula. Provided throughout the book are detailed profiles of pre-hospital medications, including mechanism of action, indications, contraindications, precautions, routes and dosages, side effects, and EMS considerations. Appendices also present information on herbal drugs, common home medications, and street drugs EMS providers may encounter outside of the hospital setting. This wealth of in-depth material logically organized for effective learning and carefully tailored to national standards and curricula, makes this practical guide an invaluable resource for anyone pursuing training or certification in an EMS field.

This third edition of a book/CD-ROM text fills the core module for the pharmacology component of the DOT Paramedic National Standard Curriculum, and also follows the new ACLS and PALS curricula. Detailed profiles of pre-hospital medications cover mechanisms of action, indications and contraindications, precautions, routes and dosages, side effects, and EMS considerations. Herbal drug and street drug appendices are included. Learning features include case studies, study questions, and a CD-ROM with self-guided exercises and games for each chapter. Beck is lead paramedic instructor at St. Petersburg College; Shelton is affiliated with Huntsville Hospital. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Richard K. Beck, M.S., NREMT-P, is associate dean for academic affairs at Broward College in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He holds a Master of Science degree in Emergency Health Services and is a certified National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Paramedic. Beck has been active in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) field for 35 years, serving as a firefighter, paramedic, flight paramedic, instructor, and program administrator. Before joining the Broward College faculty, he served as manager of the EMS Training Center at the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. He also previously served as lead paramedic instructor and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) coordinator at St. Petersburg College in Florida.